Dormant Spraying: A Winter To-Do That Pays Off in Spring

Dormant Spraying: A Winter To-Do That Pays Off in Spring

Winter may feel like downtime in the garden, but it's actually the perfect opportunity to protect your trees from pests and disease. Dormant spraying, applied after leaves drop but before buds swell, lets you target overwintering insects and fungal spores while beneficial pollinators are safely out of the picture. Horticultural oil smothers soft-bodied pests like aphids, scale, and mites hiding in bark, while liquid copper fungicide tackles diseases like peach leaf curl and fire blight. Apply on a dry day above 40°F, follow label directions carefully to avoid plant injury, and you'll be giving your trees a serious head start on a healthy growing season.